Waiting for Retirement

If every nurse that was a member of this site were to enter just one post on a really stupid thing they did as a new nurse or student you wouldn't have time to read through the endless pages of thousands of mistakes! OK you did something you wished you hadn't, it made you look foolish or at least you think it did. Chances are excellent that while more senior nurses at that facility rolled their eyes because of the mishap not one of them thought you incompetent. Just new. It isn't the kind of thing that tarnishes your future, I swear. Self-deprecation goes a long way, as in saying "yeah, that was me that managed to pull a perfectly good, brand new IV from a hard-stick patient, left my brain home that morning!" No one interviewing you has never made a mistake along those lines. Be thankful your patient wasn't harmed. You didn't inject the wrong med and you didn't miss one either. As trespasses go, this is one you can easily recover from. Don't beat yourself up over this forever. Acknowledge it, own it, don't make light of it in front of senior nurses of course but please do move on ?

This makes sense. A graduate fifteen years ago who was unable to pass the exam at that time doesn't seem a likely candidate to pass without repeating a significant amount of the coursework. I also imagine it would be extremely difficult to break into that first nursing job.

You should check with the Board of Nursing for Georgia. They're the ones you'd have to go through anyway, might as well get the info straight from the horse's mouth so to speak.

This looks like a plot from a junior high school sitcom. Whatever you tell someone, assume they tell everyone else. If you felt it was some kind of secret that you had a new car, then you told "3 or 4 people" too many. If you would rather people not ask about your personal life, a simple "I'm sorry, I don't feel much like talking right now" and going about your business should suffice. If anything, someone thinking you are suffering some kind of personal tragedy that you can't discuss might get you a bit of quiet time! Me, when faced with a Nosy Nancy usually just smile and turn back to my work, until Nancy realizes the conversation is over. I have a great relationship with colleagues; they just don't pry. And if I DO share something, they listen up ? The birthday cake thing was a little silly IMO. Eat the cake, be part of the positive aspects of the environment, you all have to work there. You may earn some privacy in the end but it's because you're being avoided like the plague if you're "that" person. Life is short, leave the pettiness behind.

True, I definitely understand there are cultural differences. I am just incredulous that what seems to be a basic nursing or medical question---"who are you?" was left out of this equation. Standards of care naturally vary. This seems out of whack even allowing for that.

As one of several who have voiced concerns about the potential for unsafe or ineffective vaccines being presented as exactly the opposite, I can assure you I am not a conspiracy theorist. I am not paranoid, and I am not of the belief that "the government is out to get me". I AM of the belief that with the FDA and CDC changing their normally science-based decision-making to one based on political climate, and changing from Best Practice decisions (ie: PPE use regulations) to "it's what we've got, so it's gotta be good enough, we'll tell them it's good enough" decisions---I'm not placing the same faith in those agencies that I once did. I don't believe the release in the US of a US-born vaccination will involve a mass conspiracy of "every major government". I do believe that something pushed through for Americans because of daily complaints from the Oval Office about how "it isn't fast enough, go FASTER!" isn't going to stand up to the same stringent testing that would be found in a less politically-charged atmosphere. I am not a conspiracy theorist. I am a realist. I am a vaccination advocate, and have spent countless hours teaching about what we consider to be 'standard' vaccinations now, and flu shot education. THIS, however, as a "warp speed" release, and potentially NOT reviewed by World Health Organization non-biased experts? Count me out.

In an administration that has left empty posts and questionably-qualified or unqualified interim personnel in place for years, this isn't surprising. Perhaps, in the new year, there will be an actual permanent person in the Director's chair, and hopefully that person will be a very well-qualified nurse.

I realize this event happened in another country but isn't it a basic thing for nurses and doctors everywhere to at least ask a person his or her name?? One question would have prevented this. One question from anyone!

Someone told me a long time ago that if you hear any nurse bragging that she's never made a medication error she's either lying or just too stupid to know the difference. Mistakes happen. Haven't ever, not ever, met a nurse who wasn't a shiny bright new grad (meaning no time on the job yet) who hadn't made one. Once you experience that anguish, it definitely makes you more careful moving forward you can bet!

I don't believe a vaccine will be available to a majority of Americans while the current administration is still in power, that'll end in 7 months. I believe when it eventually does become available to the average healthcare worker, there will be a new president, and a new administration to review the materials, hopefully determining them safe---or if not safe, then the new administration would not release it. I have no faith in the current administration to keep me and my family safe. Barring a new administration with experts who are able (allowed) to review all the data and form an independent decision----nope, not touching it. And I'm very pro-vaccine in general.

You aren't thrilled with your current career, so naturally you are looking for something that will thrill you. Bear in mind that nursing is not a guarantee or even a strong likelihood of being thrilled every day. Or even most days. It is a good, solid career, but best considered by someone who is earning less or has fewer options in life, more portability, etc. You have a family, a solid career, and financial stability. I don't know that you are giving this the weight it deserves in your discussions with yourself about your future. One can be less than happy in a job and find LOTS to be happy about outside of that job! Your financial resources now allow you to have/do things with your kids, and they can have/do things that only come from a firm financial padding. Are you really going to give that up to chase the possibility that you will be happier as a nurse? My suggestion is to volunteer in a hospital. Volunteer at a nursing home, actually since that's usually where inexperienced and plentiful new grads often start. Give your time in volunteer settings and see what you think. If you love it, keep it as a volunteer gig to enhance your life. If you don't, drop it and look for something else that looks interesting. But don't drop what you have to be a nursing student. Giving you the best, most honest advice I can.

And this is where I completely suspend any belief in this being a real situation. Someone asked you, knowing you are in Florida, what program you attended. You said "Broward College". Then you were called out on this not being likely, and your answer was "private school in Broward". The answer if you were not pulling a game of some type would have been to give the name of your program as asked. You say you are sorry for the supposed error, but I think you need to be sorry for wasting people's time on this strange game.

I've struggled with this too. Looking at this sensibly would mean that this can't be real, it's too absurd of a story. And then I think who has the time or patience or sheer uselessness in life to make this some kind of a years-long troll?? So strange.

Sianee told us about having failed this test for the 21st time last Summer. So this is at least 22 times. The advice you are giving plus much more has been given many times already. She or he doesn't take it. For you, I wish you the best of luck and hopefully this will all be over soon ?

Hi, you quoted me, but I was quoting Emergent; it wasn't me who made that original statement, just clarifying :)